The most annoying school supplies needed for NJ schools

Remember when back to school meant a couple of No. 2 pencils and a binder?
Those days, as you know are long past.

With school budgets dwindling and parents being responsible for supplying their kids with everything they'll need for the upcoming school year, (And I mean EVERYTHING!) the lists are getting longer and longer.

I get it: Teachers are hard-pressed to come up with money to buy the stuff they need to run the classroom smoothly and efficiently. But come on! An old clean sock? (This appears on nearly every school supply list in NJ.)

Here are just a small sampling of some of the most annoying things teachers are asking elementary kids to bring in when they come back to school this year.

1 small pencil sharpener with a case to collect shavings
- My reaction: "Come on. They can't sharpen over the wastebasket? Or have a communal sharpener for the classroom?"

1 see-through pencil box, 8.5 x 2.5 x 5.5 inches
- My reaction: "A little specific, no? And why see-through? So you can tell if a kid's storing his weed or ammo in there?"

1 box of 100 5-ounce paper cups
- My reaction: "In case a kid gets REALLY thirsty?"

1 plastic two-pocket folder with bottom pockets and no clasps
- My reaction: "What if they can only find the one WITH the clasps? Would that be so horrible? What's with the clasp-o-phobia?"

1 smock — No plastic smocks accepted!
- My reaction: "What's with the plastic-phobia? Please send an old t-shirt or button-down shirt WRIST LENGTH SLEEVES. What if I don't care if my kids forearms get dirty?"

10 packages of 3x3-inch Post-it notes
- My reaction: "TEN packages? Are we re-wallpapering the school? If possible, please NOT post-it brand (huh? You want the cheap knock-off instead of the good stuff?)"

2 low-odor Expo dry erase markers
- My reaction: "Do they sell high-odor ones? If so, let me at 'em!"

1 towel, no more than 26 x 52 inches, for rest time
- My reaction: "Yeah, because after running around looking for all this stuff, they're gonna NEED a nap!"